Wood fabricating machine



April 21, 1936. E PARKER 2,@38,000

WOOD FABRICATING MACHINE Filed June 22, 1955 Jnventor E mm eh; Parker" (Ittorneg Patented Apr. 21, 1936 2,038,000

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,038,000 WOOD FABRICATING MACHINE Emmett Parker, Portland, Oreg. Application June 22, 1935, Serial No. 27,902 4 Claims. (01. 144-3) My invention relates to improvements in wood 49 respectively, of such dissimilar diameters and fabricating machines in which narrow strips or equal bevels as to provide for the disposition of sticks of wood are joined together by common the lowermost portions thereof in a plane parallel bonds in lateral and end abutting relationship with but slightly below the plane of the upper 5 to form panels of unlimited length. surfaces of the sticks as H and 12. This relation- 5 The principal object of my invention is the pro- S ip s p t a y illustrated in Figure In vision of a unit for the manufacture of the prodthis relationship, a forward stroke of the carriage not above described which may be operated with I will provide for transversely grooving or dadoa minimum of labor and which will produce uniing the assembled sticks as H and 12 as illus- .form and. smooth work. trated in Figure 1 at 14 and. I5. 10

A second object is the provision for use of Since the two pairs of cutter-heads 44 and lumber by-products now wasted. 45, and 48 and 49 respectively, are symmetrically A third object is the production of wood panels inclined from the horizontal, the cutter-heads 48 of distinctly superior appearance and durability. and 49 will engage the work as illustrated in Fig- 15: -Other objects and advantages of my invention ure 3 by 48' and 49', and the cutter-heads 44 15 will be apparent in the following discourse and 45 will enga h W r as n in a wherein the significance of the reference nufashion compleme y to t first and-if the merals in the accompanying drawing, details of two pairs traverse the same grooves successively, construction and operation of a representative a dovetail cross-section of the grooves as illusmachine embodying my invention, and the partrated at 14' and 15' in Figure 3 will be p v 20 ticular advantages thereof are explained. Also, with each movement of the conveyor 60 with Figure 1 represents a view of the top of the its burden of assembled sticks as H and 12, machine from which parts of usual construction through a distance equal to twice the chosen unit, have been omitted. before mentioned, or the distance between Figure 2 represents a view of the side of the grooves, the carriage I makes one effective trans- 25 machine as illustrated in Figure 1. verse movement to form two complete dove-tail Figure 3 represents a view of an enlarged fragdado-channels in this wise. ment of a typical cutting tool, of the machine The cutter-heads 44 and 45 out two oblique particularly illustrating the manner of engagechannels across the stock in fresh wood; the

-. ment thereof with the work. cutter-heads 48 and 49 oppositely inclined and 30 Figure 4 represents a view in perspective of the symmetrically formed traverse the grooves made panel typical of the product of the machine. by the cutter-heads 44 and 45 in the preceding A conveyor 60 of convenient design provides a stroke, thus completely forming two dove-tail work table upon which are assembled in end and dados with each effective stroke of the carriage I.

v lateral abutting relationship continuous courses A pawl H10 engages alternate completed dado- 35 of sticks as H and 12 in a manner to provide g o v s 0 m v e Stock and v y 50 for the staggering of end joints. These sticks are through the machine between effective strokes conveniently trimmed to some length equal to of the carriage I; side-rolls18, I9, 80-, and 8| multiples of a chosen unit of length. This conretaining the stock is proper lateral relationship.

veyor is drawn into the machine intermittently Attached to the opposite end of the frame- 40 by an action coordinated with the bonding operawork 40 and in adjustable relationship with said tions. 1 cutter-heads are two hoppers containing keys Two pairs of rolls BI and 62, and 63 and 64 of the form represented in Figure 4 at I30, l3l, insure identity of motion of the conveyor 60 and I32. These hopp are dj ab e in anand the stock 1! and 12. A pair of side rolls 16 gular and linear spacing and are so adjusted as 45 and I1 compress the assembled sticks laterally to feed two keys as I30 and HI in Figure 4 into as the stock passes therebetween. two adjacent dado-grooves at each effective stroke 7 Above the thus travelling stock and conveyor, of the carriage I; this operation being simula carriage I is mounted to reciprocate transtaneous with the work of the cutter-heads before versely. Mounted on the carriage l is a framedescribed.

work 40 upon which are adjustably mounted two To reduce the friction of the entering keys, two motors 42 and 46 each driving an arbor as 43 rolls 65 and 66 immediately beneath the hoppers and 41 respectively, symmetrically inclined from 52 and 53, and disposed in two diiferent levels, the horizontal. These arbors, 43 and 41, each act as fulcra over which the stock is bent by the carry two cutter-heads 44 and 45, and-48 and roll 83 to open the dado-grooves slightly. 55

Attached to the hopper 53 is motor driven saw I50 mounted on the tilting-arm I5I and counterbalanced by the weight I52 so that the saw I50 may be lowered at will to cut off the fabricated stock into desired lengths at any particular effective stroke of the carriage I.

Beyond the saw I50, a sander the drum of which is represented at 90 and the pressure rolls 84, 85, and 86, is appended to receive the stock out to length and polish the same in the usual manner.

Because of the relatively great dimensions of a machine of this character proportioned to produce panels of practical dimensions, and the variable behavior of wood in process of working in the matter of size and form, it is not practical to attempt to rigidly relate the guided course of the carriage I to the required paths of the cutterheads as determined by linear measurements from previously formed grooves separated by such distances as would be comprised in the expanse of a floor wherein the panels are required to match. It is necessary to provide a special device forming an important element in my invention as follows:

The frame-work 40 is slidably mounted upon the carriage I so that it may shift longitudinally with respect to the conveyor 60 or transversely of the direction of the movement of the carriage I. In this movement, which is relatively slight, the frame-work 40 is actuated by entrance of a guide 5| mounted underneath the frame-work 40 into a previously cut dado-groove situated some ten or twelve feet distant from the groove about to be cut by the first entering cutter-head during the same stroke of the carriage I. Thus, it may be depended upon that each ten or twelve feet of stock prepared will contain precisely the same number of grooves and keys and that succeeding runs of stock will match as to critical spacing of said keys used as well for decorative effects as for structural purposes.

The carriage I is slidably mounted at one end on the guide-rail 2 and supported at the opposite end upon two standards of which the front one 2| is shown in Figure 2. The slide N forms a sliding contact bearing on the said standards as 2|.

The carriage I is actuated in the forward or effective stroke by a power mechanism conveniently constructed as follows:

A power driven shaft II carrying a friction wheel I is mounted in a yoke I2 in turn supported at opposite ends by a pedal lever I6 and a bell-crank I3 connected by the rod I4 to a pedal I5 in such a manner as to provide for the contacting of said friction wheel I0 with a driven friction wheel I when both pedals I5 and I6 are depressed.

Attached to the driven wheel I is a drum 6 adapted for reeling the rope 3 in turn passing over the sheaves 5 and 4 to a suitable place of attachment of the end thereof to the guide-rail 2 secured to the carriage I and slidably mounted in the standards as 20. When both pedals I5 and I6 are depressed the carriage I will move forward through an effective stroke.

A weight 35 suspended in a dash-pot 36 upon the rope 33 led over the sheave 34 and attached to the guide-rail 2 serves to return the carriage I to its rearward position.

To provide for raising the carriage and cutterheads clear of the work during the return stroke of the carriage while the conveyor and stock thereupon are moving forward a special mechanism is required to operate coordinately with the movement of the carriage during the return stroke.

A lug 3| secured to the rope 3 engages a depending yoke 30 during the effective or forward stroke of the carriage near the forward limit of travel of the latter serving to rotate the shaft 28 in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in Figure 2. The crank-arms 21 and 21a are rigidly secured to the shaft 28 and at the upper ends thereof are pivotally attached to opposite sides of the pawl I00 which upon engagement of the lug 3| with the yoke 30, recedes to the position shown in Figure 2. Upon return of the carriage in the rearward stroke the lug 3I is disengaged from the yoke 30 thus allowing the spring 32 to actuate the crank-arm 27, pawl I00, stock in process as the sticks II and I2, and conveyor 60 in the feeding movement when the stock moves from left to right.

If for any reason, the motion of the conveyor and stock thereupon is arrested or retarded, the carriage I may move rearwardly while the pawl I 00 and attached members remain in the retracted position without damage to any part of the machine. Such relative positions of the pawl I00 and carriage I are shown in Figure 1.

Two cams 22 and 22 operate to lift the carriage I and cutter-heads mounted thereupon above the work during the return stroke of the carriage. These cams 22 and 22' are tied together by means of the cranks 24 and 25 secured to the respective shafts of said cams, and the tierod 23 connecting said cranks. The cams are actuated by means of a spring-rod 26 pivotally attached at opposite ends to the crank 24 and pawlcrank 21 respectively. Thus when the carriage I begins to recede in rearward motion the pawlcrank 21 and cams 22 and 22 immediately rotated in a clockwise direction effecting the feeding of the stock and the lifting of the carriage. The succeeding effective or forward stroke is controlled by the two pedals I 5 and I 6. When the pedal I5 is depressed the cams 22 and 22 are actuated in anti-clockwise rotation and the carriage is lowered to the cutting position by means of the link I50, pivotally attached at opposite ends to the pedal I5 and crank 24 respectively. The carriage, however, will not begin to move forward into the out until the pedal I6 is also depressed as before explained.

It will be observed that the adjustment of the various elements of the machine acting directly upon the stock are referred to the guide 5| and not to the frame of the machine. The spacing of the cutter-heads 45, 44, 48, and 40, the hoppers 52 and 53, the cut-off saw I50, and the relationship of each thereof to the guide 5|, are all adjustable to provide for precise registration of the successive operations, and as well to provide for variant spacings of the keys as I30, I3I, and I32 in Figure 4 within practicable limits. It will also be apparent that various thicknesses of stock may be handled by the provision of obvious expedients well understood in the art.

The precise form of mechanism and manner of construction thereof illustrated and described is representative of the numerous equivalents of the various elements of the complete machine and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention which may obviously be extended to comprise many special forms by the application of engineering skill and the embodiment of many expedients commonly practiced in machine design.

Applicant does, however, contemplate as his ining stock borne by vention the particular combination of woodworking elements arranged to operate in the sequence and coordinated relationship explained, and as well, the inherent method of fabricating the panels in continuous lengths.

Having described my invention, is:

1. A fabricating machine comprising, a conveyor upon which sticks for fabrication are assembled, a transversely reciprocatory carriage mounted above said conveyor, cutter-heads mounted upon said carriage adapted for grooving stock borne by said conveyor, a hopper containing keys mounted on the carriage to move therewith and means to insert the keys in said grooves during the reciprooatory movement of the carriage in one direction, and means to actuate said carriage and said conveyor in alternate sequence.

2. A fabricating machine comprising, a conveyor upon which sticks for fabrication are assembled, a transversely reciprocatory carriage mounted above said conveyor, a framework mounted upon said carriage capable of independent longitudinal motion, cutter-heads mounted upon said framework adapted for groovsaid conveyor, a hopper containing keys mounted on the carriage to move therewith and means to insert the keys in said grooves during the reciprocatory movement of the carriage in one direction, a guide attached to what I claim said framework adapted for engaging said'grooves in. succession to control the spacing of said grooves, and means to actuate said carriage and said conveyor in alternate sequence.

3. A fabricating machine comprising, a conveyor upon which sticks for fabrication are assembled, a transversely reciprocatory carriage mounted above said conveyor, a framework mounted upon said carriage capable of independent longitudinal movement, cutter-heads mounted upon said framework adapted for grooving stock borne by said conveyor, a hopper containing keys mounted on the carriage to move therewith and means to insert the keys in said grooves during the reciprocatory movement of the carriage in one direction, a cut-01f saw attached to said framework adapted for elective engagement with said stock borne by said conveyor, a guide attached to said framework adapted for gaging the spacing of said grooves, and means to actuate said carriage and said conveyor in alternate sequence, wherein the said cutter-heads, hopper, and cut-off saw are mutually adjustable and adjustable with reference to said guide.

4. The method of fabricating wood panels consisting in assembling sticks in continuous courses in lateral and end-abutting relationship, transversely grooving said sticks in said relationship, inserting keys into said grooves, and cutting off the thus fabricated sticks to specified lengths.

EMMETT PARKER. 

